PHOENIX — A judge has denied Mark Meadows’ attempt to transfer his charges in Arizona’s fake elector case to federal court, marking another setback for the former chief of staff to President Donald Trump. This decision comes after Meadows failed a similar request to have his charges in Georgia moved to federal jurisdiction last year.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge John Tuchi ruled that Meadows had missed the deadline for making his request and did not provide adequate justification for the move. The judge also noted that Meadows failed to demonstrate how the allegations against him were connected to his official duties as chief of staff.
Meadows faces charges in Arizona and Georgia, stemming from allegations of a fraudulent scheme to reverse the 2020 election results in favor of Trump. While he is not listed as a fake elector in Arizona, prosecutors allege that Meadows collaborated with other Trump campaign members to submit illegitimate elector names to Congress to keep Trump in office after his November 2020 defeat. Meadows has pleaded not guilty to these charges.
The 2020 election saw Democrat Joe Biden win Arizona by a narrow margin of 10,457 votes. Meadows’ case will return to Maricopa County Superior Court following the judge’s ruling.
In both Arizona and Georgia, Meadows had claimed that his actions were conducted in his capacity as a federal official and sought immunity under the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prioritizes federal law over state law. However, Arizona prosecutors asserted that Meadows’ election-related activities were outside his official White House responsibilities.
Previously, Meadows’ request for a federal court move in Georgia was shot down by a judge, a ruling later upheld by an appeals court, prompting him to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
According to the Arizona indictment, Meadows allegedly expressed to a White House staff member in early November 2020 that Trump had lost the election and facilitated meetings with state officials to discuss the fake elector scheme. He, along with other co-defendants, is seeking dismissal of the Arizona case on grounds that his actions were not criminal.
Meadows’ legal team argues that the indictment is based on questionable allegations regarding his communications and efforts to keep Trump informed on campaign strategies, not on illegal activities.
Judge Tuchi noted that Meadows was indicted not for keeping the president informed, but for allegedly orchestrating an unlawful electioneering scheme, emphasizing that the factual allegations do not align with the official duties Meadows claims were the basis of the indictment.
In late April, a total of 18 Republicans were charged in Arizona’s fake electors case, including 11 who claimed that Trump had won the state.
Earlier this year, Trump campaign attorney Jenna Ellis, associated with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, reached a cooperation agreement with prosecutors that led to the dismissal of her charges. Loraine Pellegrino became the first to be convicted in the Arizona case, pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge and receiving probation.
The remaining defendants have entered not guilty pleas to various charges, including forgery, fraud, and conspiracy. While Trump has not been charged in Arizona, the indictment refers to him as an unindicted co-conspirator.
The 11 individuals nominated as Republican electors for Arizona met in Phoenix on December 14, 2020, where they signed a certificate claiming to be “duly elected and qualified” electors for Trump. A video of the signing was shared by the Arizona Republican Party but the document was ultimately disregarded by Congress and the National Archives.
Criminal charges related to the fake electors scheme have also been filed by prosecutors in Michigan, Nevada, Georgia, and Wisconsin.
